The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
TgF CAR-DRIvERS' STRIKE
c,ons Are Taken to Prolong 1t, with the
support Of the Knights of Labor.
~ nssired Endorsement Has Not Been Given
Ears Withdrawn from Several Lines
and Running Irregularly on Others.

rs. ,.reet-car strike yesterday presented no
.or exciting features. The men who are
- Mid a meeting during the morning, to hear
s..snor.s from their several committees, which
hem much announcement, as it was shown
p. cha sympathy Of many citizens was with
- It was claimed that none of
. s+rikers had gone back to the
..r,suys service. but the street-car managers
- differently. They represent that two
go a, the drivers, in addition those who
-..urned TO work Friday, applied for cars and
"a bssn eiyen them. 1t is stated that three
,;vars on the Noble-street line have reinforced
-. strikers But the company managed TO move,
18th some interruption as to time. fifty cars, the
1y,-,ip;a avenue and Noble-st lines being
.,,tv supplied while the Massach usetts- avenue
cute remained short several cars. West Wash
,roton. street travel is entirely stopped, and
.h.-a ia n disposition on the part of
coionel johnson to cars in that direction
,,,,; the difficulty has been settled. He regards
.bs drivers on that line as being responsible for
.hs strike The strikers, 1t IS believed, are
filing to submit the matter TO arbitration, but
- nvooress was made to that end during the
Ssv TX the ordinance requiring the names of
streets to be called was ont OF the way it is
represented that there would be but little
,rouble, as that IS the one Questionable feature.
7, Il uossible an effort, supported both by the
eozsnsny aud the strikers, will be made to have
It repealed
Janhths Wilson, two of the strikers, Iwere brought
bsfore the Mayor on the charge of obstructing
streescar traffic. The evidence showed that
.he men used no violence whatever, and that
.nav did not even approach the csr. They sig-
raled driver on Virginia avenue to stop his
Ear as they wished tc talk to him. He put
On the brake, and the men. standing
:. the walk requested the driver TO Quit
~ork He replied that he would as soon as he
took his car to tho end of the route. In the Sec
ond case like testimony wss given. and nothing
init established the charge Of righteousness
that any interference with drivers whatever was
made except in asking them to join the strike.
Upon this evidence, it being substantiated by
the prosecuting witnesses, the men were re-
leased
great deal upon the meeting last night. Since
h began an effort has been made to have the
Knights Of Labor take charge Of the matter, but
the higher officers of the order move cautiously.
Az only one-third OF the men out apo Knights, it
was from the commencement urged by the
executive committee OF the district assembly
that iE could hardly be called upon to legaize the
strike or the drivers remaining at work, many
Of them are Knights who refuse to 60 out unless
they have orders to that effect. It was the pur-
pose OF the meeting last night to bring those
men in and prevail upon them 10 join the strike.
The gathering was at the hall OF Willett's AS
sembly, corner of Indiana avenue and Vermont
street. From It's size and the enthusiasm mani
existed, and it does exist 80 far as the
complaints Of the men are concerned. Drivers
told Of many impositions to which the Citizens
Street-railway Company subjected them. They
rehearsed their grievances not only as to being
compelled to call the names OF streets but in re-
gard to exaetions that amounted to petty tyran-
ny. IL was said Colonel johnson would listen to
no complaints, and that the bosses could do
they pleased without hindrance This was in the
meeting Of drivers. preceding that of Willett's
Assembly which was to consider the question
whether the knights could assume the re-
yponsibility OF the strike, or rather whether the
drivers members of that assem- bly,, and who are
still at work, could be prevailed on to join the
strikers. Most of the drivers hold their mem
bership in this assembly; hence whatever wish
they might express would have some
weight towards Equalization of the strike.
Early In the assemblys proceeding q resolution
offered calling the men out. This gave
rise to prolonged discussion, in which the
question OF the legality of such action ap-
peared very prominently. A large number in
sisted that the assemblys resolution would give
no particular force to the strike. as the drivers
would not be compelled to go out that
alone. They maintained that the act
OF legaliZation could alone be passed by the dis
other members, but it succeeded in bringing
only two or three members to the hall It did
not affect the situation. as the discussion con-
timed with no hope of tho resolution being
adopted, although it had strong supporters. The
probabilities that the Knights who still
driving will remain at work until the district
assembly acts.
The company last night pursued its policy Of
Friday evening IN ordering all cars into the sta
bles at o'clock. Two hours later Eve cars were
sent out to accommodate the theater-goiug peo-
pie. While one of them was returning to the
Louisana-street stable it over q torpedo.
This so frightened the driver that he deserted
his team, leaving a passenger to drive it, with
the car to the stable. But the torpedo was sup
posed to have been placed on the track by mis-
chieyous boy On the Stockyard line the effort
was made. yesterday, to run cars, but the
drivers were annoyed by some people shouting
"scab." Colonel johnson then had all of the
cara on that line called in. The strikers rely
great deal on public sympathy, but the Knights
say that success is impossible unless it ia legal
lied.